Jacksgranda Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I watched it with the sound down 'cause I'm at work so I may be missing a large part of what's leaving you speechless but from memory that song was a major boost to morale during WW1 so perhaps it it reasonably appropriate for raising funds. There's a distinct lack of Senior Service involvement. No smoking allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillonearth Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 There's a distinct lack of Senior Service involvement. Couldn't get a loan of a ship from the French for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgecutter Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Commemorating the start of the war is all because Germany had the nerve to win yet another World Cup this summer. November's just too long a wait to get a dig back. On a more serious note, I really don't get this 'commemoration = celebration' mindset. I don't see anything wrong with highlighting a 100 years milestone to ensure that things like this aren't forgotten. I personally know very little about it due to masses of programmes which prefer to focus on WWII. Things like the 'Ottoman Empire' meant nothing to me until I looked it up very recently. Had this discussion not happened then I still wouldn't have a clue what it was. People can argue that we already have Remembrance Day but as far as I'm concerned, the First World War is becoming (or has already has become) a diluted side issue with the commemoration of numerous other wars being thrown on top of that, particularly WWII. It certainly deserves it's own day at times and I'd imagine this is why the start date of the war 100 years on has been used in order to rightfully distinguish it from all the other post-1918 wars which have made us change the name from a very specific 'Armistice Day' to a more generalised 'Remembrance Day'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoBNob Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Maybe the government could 'celebrate' the Great War by pardoning all of the British soldiers executed for 'cowardice'. I'm pretty sure they already have been? Was at the shot at dawn memorial and I'm sure that's what was said. Commemorating the start of the war is all because Germany had the nerve to win yet another World Cup this summer. November's just too long a wait to get a dig back. On a more serious note, I really don't get this 'commemoration = celebration' mindset. I don't see anything wrong with highlighting a 100 years milestone to ensure that things like this aren't forgotten. I personally know very little about it due to masses of programmes which prefer to focus on WWII. Things like the 'Ottoman Empire' meant nothing to me until I looked it up very recently. Had this discussion not happened then I still wouldn't have a clue what it was. People can argue that we already have Remembrance Day but as far as I'm concerned, the First World War is becoming (or has already has become) a diluted side issue with the commemoration of numerous other wars being thrown on top of that, particularly WWII. It certainly deserves it's own day at times and I'd imagine this is why the start date of the war 100 years on has been used in order to rightfully distinguish it from all the other post-1918 wars which have made us change the name from a very specific 'Armistice Day' to a more generalised 'Remembrance Day'. Hallelujah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat(The most tip top) Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 What's your views on this? Should they be going ahead, should we be 'celebrating' it, why is it happening for the start and not the end etc... The new £2 coin with Kitchener is coming out 'your country needs you' stamped across it. Should we have 'Dulce et Decorum est' on the side of it? Why are we the only country to be celebrating the start of it as well? Is Nov 11th not good enough? I've checked with mates down under in both countries and in Canada, we seem to be the only country to be marking the start if the slaughter... Views please. We are not the only country to be marking it.http://www.france.fr/en/institutions-and-values/first-world-war-centenary-1914-1918.html Mind you they hosted much of World War One and, while we can debate the necessity of British involvement, for the French it was very much a war of national survival and lacks the same moral ambiguity and awkwardness we have over it and they have over WWII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom McB Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Was in Belgium less than two weeks ago and by God they were in a commemorative mood. Good to see this resurrected. Lest we forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Was in Belgium less than two weeks ago and by God they were in a commemorative mood. Good to see this resurrected. Lest we forget. Isn't The Last Post played every day at the Menin Gate Memorial? Just as well some of the curmudgeons posting on this thread don't live in Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Was in Belgium less than two weeks ago and by God they were in a commemorative mood. Good to see this resurrected. Lest we forget. I have come to abhor this phrase. It's so fucking hollow. The UK as a whole 'forgot' a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Assuming all of us on social media have seen the reaction to Robin fucking Williams dying today? WW1 treated with a "cannae be arsed" nature. Random American actor/comedian treated like a hero for being in the odd decent film. Society. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Nederlander Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Assuming all of us on social media have seen the reaction to Robin fucking Williams dying today? WW1 treated with a "cannae be arsed" nature. Random American actor/comedian treated like a hero for being in the odd decent film. Society. Sigh. Well .... Robin Williams committing suicide is reasonably newsworthy and probably worthy of a passing comment ! where-as we've known the result of WW1 for very nearly 100 years !! And of course in 100 years we won't be commemorating the death of Robin Williams ... in fact I very much doubt he'll be getting mentioned in a months time tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Of course, I understand that - which is why I never commented on the news coverage itself, it's a newsworthy story. Maybe it's just people I know but words like "hero" and "legend" are being used, photo montages, people claiming they cried. Etc. When the WW1 stuff began we had comments of which there are several on this thread - who cares, shouldn't have been in the war anyway, waste of life, and so on. Maybe I'm just moaning because people are fucking sheep and all trying their best to out-grieve each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DA Baracus Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Of course, I understand that - which is why I never commented on the news coverage itself, it's a newsworthy story. Maybe it's just people I know but words like "hero" and "legend" are being used, photo montages, people claiming they cried. Etc. When the WW1 stuff began we had comments of which there are several on this thread - who cares, shouldn't have been in the war anyway, waste of life, and so on. Maybe I'm just moaning because people are fucking sheep and all trying their best to out-grieve each other. Your last paragraph drips irony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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